SERPEXT,-;. 371 



the vicinity of nearly every slow-running stream, brook, or jioiul, where they often 

 startle the angler, either by their exertions to escape in the rushes or semi-aquatic 

 liushes, or by boldly ])lunging into the water, in which they also often capture their 

 food, which consists of frogs, toads, or fish, and, being excellent swimmers, they are 

 not infrequent!}' seen in the middle of ponds, and are es])ecially abundant about lily-pads. 

 They are said to frequently take the hook, when it is baited with a worm or small min- 

 now, but when captured will fight like a tiger. In many portions of the south this snake 

 is called the watei-moccasin, and is considered very poisonous. While dying, the lower 

 side of the body often takes on an iridescent character, the rapid changes of the 

 prismatic colors being particularlj- beautiful. Specimens over three feet in length are 

 rare. The Australian frcsh-water-snake, T. jncturatus, varies much in color, being 

 either gray or deep brown, with a salmon-colored abdomen, and spotted along the 

 sides with a double series of red dots. It resembles, in general marking, the Tropi- 

 dechis, a venomous form ; the two can easily be distinguished, however, as T. plcturatus 

 has fifteen dorsal and lateral rows of scales, while IVopideckis has more than twenty. 

 The species under consideration has been observed to congregate in great numbers, 

 during the early evening, around lagoons and water-holes, though during the day few 

 or none are to be seen. Of the score or more of Indian Tropidonoti, T. niacroph- 

 th<dmus is the most interesting form, for, though it is a perfectly harmless animal, it 

 superficially resembles the cobra so exactly as to often deceive those well acquainted 

 with both animals. The resemblance is further carried out in that the neck is capable 

 of expanding horizontally, and is provided with a larger numbei- of scales than is the 

 rest of the body. This animal, inhabiting the Himmaleh mountains, offers one of the 

 most interesting instances of protective resemblance in the animal kingdom. 



Also abounding in species, of which, in North America alone, there are about a 

 score, is the geinis Etitcenia, to which our most familiar serpents belong. E. saurita and 

 E. sirtalis, are seen by the dozens, during a country walk, of a bright summer's day, 

 anywhere in the more eastern ])ortions of the United States. In general marking the 

 two so nearly resemljle each other that they are ordinarily considered to be similar, 

 being pojiularly called striped or garter-snakes. T. saurita, however, is longer and 

 much more slender than T. sirtalis, and is found in more moist localities. The collector 

 will cajiture many more of these forms than of any other, except, possibly, the green- 

 snake. The eggs of Tropido7iotus are sometimes found about out-buildings, and in 

 hatching give birth to little fellows having enormous eyes and a spotted body, the 

 longitudinal bands of the adults only being gained after several sloughings of the 

 skin. These cast-off skins are very abundantly found among piles of rubbish, or 

 under the loose bark of decaying trees. They are eagerly sought after by the great 

 crested fly-catcher, Mijiarchics cristatus, who uses them to line her nest. Tliough 

 ])erfectly harmless, the garter-snakes are most offensive to handle. They exude a most 

 fa'tid odor, which so jiossesses the power of penetration and adhesion as to render it 

 quite impossible to rid one's self of it. 



The genus Storeria is represented in the eastern United States by two species, both 

 of small size, though interesting and graceful in their habits and motions. Storeria 

 occipitoniacidata is found throughout the Mississiii))! valley, and eastward, and is often 

 captui-ed in New England, where it has been called the spotted-necked-snake, on 

 account of the three large, white, irregular blotches just back of the occipital jilates. 

 S. dekayi is equally abundant, and was first described, as was the ]irevious s])ecies, 

 from Massachusetts specimens. It frequents meadows and grass-ground, where it 



